Home Office

Visas: Applications

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many out-of-time visa applications were (a) processed within the standard service time (b) processed after six months and (c) processed after twelve months in each of the last seven years.

Caroline Nokes: The available information relating to processing of all out of country visa (and in-country visa) applications against service standards, is published in the transparency data at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data#uk-visas-and-immigration

Visas: Overseas Students

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of tier 4 visa applications for students have been processed within the service level agreement timescales in the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many tier 4 applications that have not been processed within the timescale set out in the service level agreement for processing such applications have caused students to miss university start dates in the latest academic for year for which figures are available.

Caroline Nokes: The available information on processing of Tier 4 out of country visa (and in-country visa) applications against service standards is published in the transparency data at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data#uk-visas-and-immigrationThe latest available data indicates the vast majority, 98.1% (and 99.8%) of straightforward cases were dealt with within service standards.Information on students who may have missed their university start date is not collated for publication on Home Office visa case-working systems.

Undocumented Migrants: Deportation

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department first implemented a policy for imposing targets for deportation of illegal immigrants; and whether the Home Secretary had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on that policy at that time.

Caroline Nokes: The background to targets for removals and my Department’s current approach is set out in Sir Philip Rutnam’s letters to the Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, dated 14 May and 25 June 2018 that are deposited in the House Library.

Asylum

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment on the implications for his Department's polices of the report A Hostile Environment, published by Refugee Rights Europe in Feburary 2018.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office and its accommodation providers are committed to protecting the rights of asylum seekers and providing them with safe, secure and suitable accommodation whilst asylum claims are considered. We have a range of policies and procedures to ensure that this is the case and we will continue to thoroughly inspect, investigate and resolve any allegation that standards of accommodation and service are not being delivered in accordance with the contract, when specific information is received.We remain in regular discussion with Providers, service users, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders about ways to improve the services provided and we will be making a number of improvements to the design of the future contracted services as a direct result of such feedback. The Refugee Rights Europe report was not formally shared with the Home Office but we have retrospectively considered the recommendations made and will ensure that they continue to be taken into consideration as part of our ongoing engagement and improvement plans.

Migrant Workers: Conditions of Employment

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has received representations on (a) Tier 2 and (b) other migrant migrant workers' days of industrial action being classified as unpaid leave.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office has previously received a number of representations on the general principle of Tier 2 and other migrant workers' days of industrial action being classified as unpaid leave.It is not the Government’s policy to prevent migrant workers from engaging in legal strike action; and, to date, I am not aware of any case where a migrant worker has had their leave curtailed or been removed as a result of doing so. To put the matter beyond doubt, however, we amended the guidance for Tier 2 and 5 sponsors on 18 July to make clear that there will be no immigration consequences for any migrant worker who takes part in legal strike action.We will be making a similar change the relevant Immigration Rules at the next available opportunity in the Autumn.